SHANGHAI - Part I of f the latest China Epic, Shanghai, Beijing and Harbin

[kamchatsky]

Ah yes the toilets in China.

Ok a word from the experienced - toilets are indeed the most difficult aspect of any visit to China - just remember one VERY VERY important thing - plan your day around your toilet habits - I am deadly serious here.

Dirty filthy smelly squatting pans are the norm in China outside 5 star hotels. Yes a broadly sweeping generalization - but if you start your day thinking "When I leave my hotel I probably will not see another toilet seat I can sit on until I return to my hotel at the end of the day" - and I am 100% serious here then you will get by.

Yes many better restaurants will have proper toilets - many won't - most Maccas and KFC's have squatting pans also so don't think they will save you - you gotta plan - different country different culture - visit China enough and you are gonna see some interesting times to say the least.

Now having said all that the toilets on the CRH trains are quite ok and staff on board who will clean for you if not satisfactory.

My wife, who is a Chinese, said that squatting toilets are preferred because there is no physical contact between the bottom and the toilet itself, thus much more hygienic. Think about that!

Whenever my inlaws come to Australia they have a hard time using public toilets as they refuse to sit on them for hygienic reasons.

 

[zig]

Ah yes the toilets in China.

Ok a word from the experienced - toilets are indeed the most difficult aspect of any visit to China - just remember one VERY VERY important thing - plan your day around your toilet habits - I am deadly serious here.

Dirty filthy smelly squatting pans are the norm in China outside 5 star hotels. Yes a broadly sweeping generalization - but if you start your day thinking "When I leave my hotel I probably will not see another toilet seat I can sit on until I return to my hotel at the end of the day" - and I am 100% serious here then you will get by.

Agreed with this absolutely. I literally did not take in any fluids (well minimal) during the day whilst out of the hotel, once I returned in the evening I started to rehydrate myself, safe in the knowledge that a clean and odour free toilet was close by. Whilst I can cope with squat toilets, I can't cope with the odour, or the open door policy that seems the norm in many of them in China. Some things should be private

 

[haydensydney]

Thanks munitalP

Finally had the time to check out your TRs. Great work.

I can't wait to give high speed rail a crack, though I would miss the timeless appeal of air travel. The toilet situation doesn't appeal to me - I might need to reconsider my China travel plans, or buy a bulk pack of adult nappies, lol.

Hayden

 

[Timtammi]

Love Shanghai and your trip report makes me want to go back even though I was just there in November! We had some unseasonably warm weather when we were there but from the sound of your report the cold had definitely set in by the time you got there.

Squat toilets can be a challenge in many parts of Asia where most of travel is. As a middle-aged female that does not have thighs of steel I found them very confronting to start with. I too avoided like the plague but at some point you just gotta go. I've found as time has gone on I've got more used to them/got better at it or something and now I can manage without too much issue. Still don't like dirty toilets (who does?) and I can see the point about hygiene and toilet seats. I think if you are male then squat toilets should be easier (do they do urinals in China?).

Cheers

Timmi

 

[Taezar]

The trick is to use the disabled toilets... yes I know I am not disabled, but after walking 7 hours a day minimum I sure as heck feel like it. There are disabled toilets about every 800m.
Taez
PS. Only one squat toilet so far - and that was because I couldn't be bothered walking to the disabled one down the street.

 

[Timtammi]

Hey Taezar

Thanks for the tip! I've not noticed those but will look out for them on my next trip in April. Where are you now? I think I was reading your trip report where you were in Fiji..?

Kind Regards

Timmi

 

[TheEmu]

My wife, who is a Chinese, said that squatting toilets are preferred because there is no physical contact between the bottom and the toilet itself, thus much more hygienic. Think about that!

Whenever my inlaws come to Australia they have a hard time using public toilets as they refuse to sit on them for hygienic reasons.

When visiting a hugh, modern shopping mall in Beijing the year before the Olympics, I asked why the toilets were being renovated already. The mall operators were removing all of the western-style sitting toilets originally installed and replacing them with squats: too many complaints from customers who wanted squat-loos. Apparently it wasn't hard to convince the management to change to squats as they were sick of spending money to fix the seats: people were just squatting on them anyway, eventually breaking the seats! The little light bulb then came on in my head as to why I had had to wipe boot-prints off before sitting down... At first I thought it was hilarious but then realised it's just a different culture. You get used to it with practice - and some preparation: always keep little packs of wet-wipes and tissues in the day bag.